It Ain't Pretty
by Rangerapprentice
Summary: It isn't ever pretty when a heart breaks; when a celestial wizard learns that, one of her spirits comes to her rescue. Hinted LoLu, don't like don't read. Song fic of 'It Ain't Pretty' by Lady Antebellum.


**I'm not dead! It's a miracle!**

**Anyway, I wrote this late last night- heard the song on my iTunes and the idea came into my head, because I've been wanting to write a LoLu fic so badly. Here's my attempt. Please review at the end!**

**I don't own Fairy Tail; if I did, there would be a LOT more Loke in it. XD**

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Lucy smiled slightly out her window, seeing the sun setting finally in the distance. It had been only two weeks since her boyfriend had completely dumped her; Levy had seen him kissing another girl. It had completely shattered the blonde, and now she was finally debating going outside on the nice Saturday night.

Standing in her bathroom, Lucy thought she looked okay, her hair up. She had put her lipstick on a bit too bright, but she didn't let it bother her. In a white tank top, a black skirt, and black high heels, she stepped out, grabbing the black leather jacket Gray had bought her on her last birthday. Taking a deep breath, she stepped outside and started on her way. Downtown, she got into a bar she normally didn't go to so late without a cover charge and made her way to the back.

Peeling the corners of a cocktail napkin, she watched the bar as people smiled, laughing at some joke she didn't know. When the bar tender asked if she wanted something, she nodded.

Lucy knew it wasn't like her, but she was starting to come off her good mood; she had just bought a drink, alone; when a heart broke it wasn't pretty.

Finishing the drink, she ordered another one, smiling when a boy slid onto the stool next to her. "Hey, girl. You're looking fine tonight."

Five minutes later, she'd downed another drink and was kissing the boy, not minding the nameless and wandering hands until they tried to go under her skirt. She excused herself to the bathroom, going to the mirror next to a girl who was obviously smashed and still spilling beer. She didn't notice the blonde drying her tears. The celestial wizard looked at herself.

_How did I get here? I'm a mess._

She'd let that boy kiss her. She'd let him take her by the hand, pull her out and dance while their old song played. Exiting the bathroom, she made her way back to the bar, getting another drink. She had spotted him on her way out. He was feeling up the girl he'd cheated on her with, and Lucy downed her drink quickly. It was a few more as she thought. She had been tempted to walk up to him, cause a scene as she told him what he'd done to her.

But after her fifth drink, as her head was feeling fuzzy, she decided it would be better to just let this night end.

Stepping outside, she pulled her high heels off, feeling more stable as water droplets started falling. She started stumbling home.

Just as she tripped and fell, her heels flying out of her hand as her knees scraped concrete, a hand reached out. "Should a princess like you really be stumbling so ungracefully?"

She looked up into hazel eyes, not shaded by the blue lenses she was used to. But is suit was neat as always, his orange hair in the mane it was in when he was in his celestial form, and he had a gentle smile on his face as he reached for her hand. Loke lifted her up, draping one arm around his shoulders and holding it as his other one went around her waist. "C'mon, Lucy. Let's get you home."

As he started helping her home, he watched as she just walked along with him, slow but steady until they made it to her building. The rain was coming down harder now, and her blonde hair was wet, clinging to her face. He just picked her up, carrying the stumbling girl up the stairs to her room. He set her down on her bed, her feet dangling over the side. "There. Home, safe and sound." He stood and turned to grab a towel to dry her hair, only for a hand to clasp onto him. He turned to see Lucy holding his sleeve like a small child.

"… Please don't go…" She whispered, looking up with tear-filled eyes. "I don't want you to."

He smiled at her, knelling in front of her. "A beauty like you, crying? Nah. Pick your head up, princess. Your tiara is falling." He reached up, wiping away her tears. "I'm just grabbing a towel. I'll be right back." He walked into her bathroom, finding a fluffy towel and walking back out only to see Lucy sobbing. He dropped the towel and slid to a stop by her. "Hey, what's wrong?"

She looked at him for a second before throwing her arms around the lion's neck, clinging to him, her light. "I… I can't believe I just did all this. I bought a drink alone-"

"That's fine, Lucy," he whispered, rubbing her back soothingly. "I'm here now. You aren't alone."

"-I kissed a boy I hardly knew."

He squeezed her, knowing that would get to her. "It's fine. "

"I just… I can't believe I did all this." He lifted her onto the pink bed, retrieving the towel and laying it over her damp blonde hair and gently rubbing at it. "How could I have been so stupid?"

He sat down by her, leading her to lean forward so she was bent over in front of him as he rubbed the towel over her hair. "Because your heart is aching. It ain't pretty when a heart breaks, Lucy. People will do stupid things to make their ex feel jealous. But yours were more towards trying to cope." He pulled the towel off her hair, tilting her head up. "If you ever never someone to talk to, Lucy, call me. Call Virgo. Call one of us. We're not just here to fight your battles."

She nodded, wiping her tears and pulling off her jacket. Standing up, she hung it on her chair and dug into a drawer, pulling out shorts and a new shirt along with a hoodie. She was about to pull her shirt over her head when she blushed at Loke. "Um… Could you..?"

He nodded, shutting his eyes and turning away. He had sat for a minute when arms wrapped around him from behind, legs sliding around either side of his own. He opened his eyes, seeing Lucy sitting behind him with her head buried in his shoulder. Hooking his hands under her arms, he lifted her up and wrapped her legs around his waist, letting her hang on him like a baby monkey as he pulled back the blankets on her bed. Her dropped her down and covered her with the blankets, turned out the lights, and retrieved his own blanket and pillows, making a small nest on the floor. Seeing Lucy was asleep, or at least acting, he took off his blazer and shirt, curling up under the gray blanket.

He wasn't shocked in the middle of the night when she called out his name. He crawled up onto her bed, rubbing her shoulder. "What's up, Lucy?"

"Will you… stay here with me?" She whispered, not looking at him.

He smiled and laid down beside her, not under any blankets but right next to her. She rolled over and he could see tear tracks, but didn't mention them. "You'll catch a cold like that," she said, scooting over to make more room as she lifted the blankets. He slid under them, wrapping his arms around Lucy's shoulder.

Her head fit against his neck, and he could feel her shivering despite the blankets. "You okay?" He asked, gently pushing his nose into her hair. It carried a faint scent of mint, mixed with alcohol and some cologne. The final scent made him tense a bit, but he shifted and pulled her closer as she shook her head.

"I don't feel good."

"How so?"

She sniffed. "I just… don't feel right anymore."

He raked his fingers through her hair slowly, pulling out the tangles that had appeared. "It'll hurt for a bit longer, Lucy. But soon enough you'll get over him." Then he chuckled. "I'd like to punch the idiot that made you cry."

"… It was…" She hesitated. "Natsu."

Loke was surprised at that. "Natsu? He doesn't seem like the kind to hurt you."

"I know. That's what I thought, too." She sniffed again, snuggling against Loke's warmth as her body shook. "I couldn't believe it when Levy told me." He just wrapped around her, keeping her close. He didn't want anything to hurt his key holder, his friend… His _girl_. He really did want to punch Natsu, even if they had once been friends; no one deserved to be hurt like this.

He wouldn't be able to protect her against everything. But what he couldn't stop, he would help her recover from. So he rubbed her back, staying awake even when his eyes wanted to close, until Lucy was asleep.

"I love you, Lucy," he mumbled. Then he closed his eyes, focusing on the mint smell. He would protect her. He had to.

She wasn't alone. She knew that now. And the lion spirit just hoped she would remember it.


End file.
